The Bad Boy And The Mermaid

Blue

There was a reason why Hunter never took me out to the beach when there were people around. There was a reason why we never swam in the public swimming pool. It was because I shapeshifted into a mermaid every time I dived into the water.

Like right now.

I hadn’t realized what was happening until the kid pushed me into the pool and my legs transformed into a mermaid tail.

I panicked. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He’d given me strict instructions not to move so I’d remained frozen in place, and I had not moved even when I knew the kid was going to push me into the water.

Where was Hunter when I needed him?

“Mom, look a mermaid!”

Thankfully, my eye caught the moment and I saw my husband running from across the lawn towards me. His gray eyes glistened with horror and worry. He glanced around himself to make sure we didn’t have an audience before he took off his shirt and stepped inside the pool.

I couldn’t hold the tears in. “I’m so sorry...Hunter.”

“Are you alright?” He asked me, “Are you hurt somewhere, love?”

I shook my head. He should have been angry that I was putting him in trouble again, but he was worried about my welfare. I’d called him names, I’d screamed at him in the morning and yet Hunter was being nice.

I was overcome with shame.

“It’s alright, baby.” He assured me. “Here, put your arm around my shoulder. I will pull you out of the water and cover your tail with my shirt, okay? Then I will carry you under that tree...” he pointed at a short distance, “because taking you into the house would risk people seeing you in mermaid form.”

“Okay.”

“Calm down. It’s okay.”

The water sloshed as he pulled me out, placed me gingerly on the grass and covered my tail with his shirt.

“What the fuck? Hunter’s wife just turned into a mermaid.” James bellowed. “Guess I have far too much to fucking drink tonight.”

“Yeah. You need to stop. Next thing you’re going to say I turned into a Yeti.” Hunter called out, maintaining a cool demeanor but I could sense the distress he was feeling.

James looked at me strangely and started walking back to the grills as Hunter blocked me from view to allow me time to take the full human’s form. After ten torturous minutes, I turned fully into a human; the dress clung to me like second skin and the cool night air sent a shiver down my body.

Hunter carried me all the way to the car and put me in the passenger seat. His eyes flicked to the front of my dress that was totally soaked and it was making my breasts look bigger. It made me feel almost...

Naked.

I watched Hunter’s nose flare and the worry in his gaze had disappeared and turned into desire.

The silence in the car stretched on so I cleared my throat and placed my hand over his. “I’m sorry about earlier. I promise I won’t do anything that will embarrass you again.”

“Embarrass me?” He snapped. “Blue, if people saw you turn into a mermaid, your life was in jeopardy. Do you understand that? This has nothing to do with me.” There was a hint of anger in his voice.

“I understand.”

think you do.”

within me. A loud ear-piercing sob. Children wailed like that, grown women

“Why are you

cry. “I don’t know. I don’t want to fight with you, Hunter.

“Baby...” He breathed.

me into his lap. I was strangling him in a very uncomfortable position. He stared at

can touch me if you want,”

grasped my right breast and he gave it one possessive squeeze. “This is mine. You never

expression, “if any other man touches you, I’ll wreak mayhem. Do you understand

shook my head, but I understood that whatever he was saying was something quite intense. I knew he meant to hurt whoever tried to touch me in

was turning hard as he caught my nipple between his fingers and kept teasing it

my neck as his mouth came crashing over mine. His tongue was seeking entrance in a desperate frenzy so I opened

“Hunter...”

firm grip. I pulled away seconds later.

guess...I guess I was losing my mind when I saw Vi’s husband trying to touch you. Blue...I’m so fucking

my stomach. He

again, the kind of face that made me feel sorry for him. “You’ll let me

“Yeah.”

in the

* * *

Hunter

arriving at the house that night, Blue and I made love. She hadn’t

that was a little

a fact that she would never

my tiny apartment, back to my waiter job, back to college, back to

on a chaise by the fireplace. I was seated at the end of the

what she wanted to hear. I chuckled. “A merman, maybe?”

and admiration. Seriously, this woman looked at me the way you’d look at a famous movie star, and I didn’t think I could get used to it.

into a merman and give

gently. “For you,

She giggled. “You’re lying.”

I’d become whatever you want me

want you to become?” She

“What?”

were dancing with amusement.

I laughed, “Nice one.”

“I’m not joking.”

promise you. We’ll have

giving me a dreamy look. “I’ll be waiting for that

the first time she’d called me with an endearment. My heart literally skipped like a little

Hunter,” She said in a

smiled. “You never

movie this afternoon, and the woman calls her husband darling. I thought maybe wives call their husbands that, maybe it’s a tradition